Friends With Benefits
by x404notfoundx
Summary: Friends with Benefits: /frends/ /wiTH/ /ˈbenəfits/ 1. A healthy, fun sexual relationship between two friends 2. A healthy, fun sexual relationship between two friends, until they fall for one another (Danny x Perry with some Hollstein! and Lafontaine!)
1. Chapter 1

So I got tipsy and did a thing. I haven't written in awhile so be gentle lol! Enjoy and hopefully once I get more completed, they'll be more to come!

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As soon as Danny left the room, she knew how the scene between Laura and Carmilla would go. The music would swell, a breeze would kick up, they'd kiss all 50's black and white film style and she'd be nothing to Laura.

An after thought.

The over protective moron who, instead of talking to Laura, decided to lash out and chunk a tomato at her head. She felt foolish but most of all she felt furious. Furious at Carmilla for surviving, for practically spitting in the face of certain doom to be with Laura.

She couldn't top that even if she tried.

She had tried though, she thought. She tried to catch Laura's eye, tried to will her mouth into forming the right words that would make those big beautiful brown eyes fall on her. She thought she was practically jumping in the background, hand raised, like an excited elementary school kid. In reality, she walked out of the room, shoulders slumped, in defeat. The Vice President of the Summer fucking Society admitting defeat, surrendering without so much as even a little fight. The truth was, she couldn't fight the connection between Laura and Carmilla. Getting in the way only put a gap in between she and Laura and if she pressed any further the gap would become a rift.

And so, as she heard the door to their room close, she knew her new role in Laura's life.

Friend.

Maybe not even friend? Acquaintance?

An old school girl crush.

Fuck.

Danny stood in the middle of the hall way, her head still bowed. She walked slowly to the nearest wall and placed her forehead onto it's cool surface, her eyes closed. She would look like a fool to any passerbys, her body supported only by her head pressed into a crudely crafted 'Study Buddy needed - non-humans need not inquire' flyer. She'd have to make a mental note to discuss the issue of non-human species discrimination throughout the campus with the President of the Summer Society. She wasn't fond of a specific vampire at the moment but, there was no need to start showing outward prejudice to people who may be undead, or undying for that matter.

She sighed.

What a mess. And what a mess she'd be, as soon as what she imagined in her mind came into fruition. When the newly created couple stepped out of their room, hand in hand, subetly announcing their union.

Shit.

What was she going to do, linger? Huddle around them and act as if she never had feelings for Laura? Like she didn't matter? Like she didn't want her hand intertwined with hers, like she never wanted her affection?

She managed to make a fist and lightly pound the wall, her anger falling on yet another flyer. She didn't even bother reading it fully, when she saw 'School dance' printed across it in bold lettering, she ripped it down. Stupid dance. Stupid fucking dance she planned on asking Laura to.

Danny lifted herself from the wall and began ripping the flyer into tiny bits and tossed the pieces onto the floor.

Danny Lawrence, slayer of paper. How pathetic.

And now, she'd made a literal mess for the figurative mess that she felt her love life had become. She stared down at the pieces. She didn't want to feel this sad. She had no idea how much she truly cared for Laura, until she saw the way her face lit up when she lumbered into the room, the vampire in tow. She was pleased that Carmilla survived but, she knew the moment she lifted her from that pit, any chances of her and Laura were pretty much over.

"I know..." A shaky, quizzical and slightly high-pitched voice said. "I know you're going through..things..." The voice trailed off and Danny heard a few footfalls in her direction. "...but..." More cautious footsteps. "...you're not just going to leave that there, are you?"

Danny didn't even look up. She simply bent and began picking up the rips of paper with her right hand her left hand tucking her hair behind her ear. She moved her hair to help with visibilty but it wasn't the cause of her limited eyesight, that credit belonged to the tears forming in her eyes. A blurry veil that she deperately wanted to fight. She tried to tighten her eyelids but, it only made it worse.

Damnit.

At least she wasn't losing it so bad she couldn't think of any new swears to express her current state. She felt the movement of Perry drawing nearer and tried to quickly blink back her emotion,she even let her hair fall back over her face. Anything so that no one could bear witness to this miserable lump of a person she had become in mere moments. Danny slowly looked up and saw Perry begin helping her with the bits of paper, collecting them into a small pile in her palm.

Perry knew things between Carmilla and Laura would escalate quickly. She figured that, for Danny and privacy's sake, she'd remove them quickly from the room before Laura and Carmilla were all over one another. She also fired off a quick text to Lafontaine to deliver the good news after she and Danny departed.

She felt sorry for Danny. She had to have known she was delivering Carmilla back to Laura. Packing back to the woman she loved, the woman she loved. Without so much a thank you, which, Perry thought was the least the poor girl deserved.

On the other hand, at least her 'love interest' didn't get stolen away by a flash drive.

How ludicrous?

Lola didn't know the length of her love for LaFontaine. They were her best friend, they were her confidant but lately - things had slightly escalated she thought? She and LaFontaine had always had a question mark at the end of their relationship. The night they defeated the Dean. They kissed her. On the cheek but, a kiss is a kiss right? It made Perry begin to question their relationship. As soon as she thought that maybe they should explore things Lafontaine became, she would not call it a relationship one could not have a relationship with a sentient being, emotionally attached to an external hard drive.

Perry felt as Danny looked.

Lost.

For the past week since Carmilla's assumed death, they and JP had been attached at the hip...port? They were always communicating with it and Perry was nothing more than an after thought. They had even missed Antiques Roadshow - they always came by her room and watched Antiques Roadshow. True, she'd have to sit through some terrifying obscure horror film, but she bent for Lafontaine just as they bent for her. They were a we once?

We need to do our laundry.

We need to go to the cafeteria for dinner.

We need to make sure we pour a line of salt over our respective thresholds every third Wednesday of the month per the student handbook for - reasons unexplained.

When did they become a you and I?

Perry shuttered at the thought of leaving the torn up paper on the floor. What if someone slipped and fell and bit off their tongue on their landing. Extreme yes, but, as floor don you had to expect the worse to prepare for it. She prodded Danny lightly and of course she began to clean up but, when Perry saw the tears gathering in her eyes, she knew the situation was a lot worse than she anticipated.

Perry stopped scooping up the paper for a moment leaned over and slowly re-tucked strands of red locks behind Danny's ear, as she did, two tears slid from either of Danny's eyes. One cascaded down her cheek, the other traveled down the side of her nose and nested. Perry softly exhaled . Danny's once jovial, blue denim eyes were rimmed red and glinting with sadness. She really was a beautiful woman, Perry had never really noticed. She had seen Danny as she was sure Danny had seen her but they had never been close, not this close anyway. She knew of Danny but, before the entire school nearly got devoured by some malicious light, she had never really known Danny. Even now in the hallway she couldn't say she knew her. The people that they knew, knew each other and thus put them within the same circle, just like it had been before.

"I know..." A beat to carefully word her next statement. One had to be careful when dealing with a fragile woman. She knew that from personal experience. How many cups of tea had she provided over talk of some Zeta breaking one of her girls hearts. They weren't her girls but they were as long as she was floor don. She felt a responsibility to them and she took it very seriously. Although she was running low on lemon balm. "...things may be tough. You just have to look at the bright side of this. Carmilla's alive, we're alive, the Dean is...well mostly dead I think..."

Perry smiled optimistically but it fell flat the moment she saw Danny's expression never changed. Perry bit her bottom lip nervously. Maybe she could sacrifice the rest of that lemon balm.

"Let's clean up this mess and I'll make you some tea, okay?"

Danny didn't really feel like being around anyone. She wanted to go back to her room. More than that, she wanted to go back to her life. Her life pre-Laura and the fucking Dean and her stupid town-hall meeting that got her tangled into this mess in the first place.

"Lola, look. I really appreciate the fact that you're..."

"So, tea?"

"I don't think you're hearing me. I kind of just want to be alone."

"Nonsense."

"Lola."

"Danny."

"Lola!" Danny said her voice elevated and jaw set. "I don't mean to be rude but I really just feel like if I stay in this hallway any longer, knowing what's going on in there." Danny nodded her head at Laura and Carmilla's door. "That my heart will dislodge itself from my chest and make a hasty escape and descent out of the nearest window. So no, I don't feel like going back to your room and sipping tea like some flimsy little frosh who fell in love with the first Zeta that happened by."

Danny instantly regretted lashing out at Perry. It wasn't her fault, she was just the nearest person she could take out her frustration on. Danny hastily tried to get out some form of an apology but before she could LaFontaine cut the corner, their eyes wide.

They looked from Danny to Perry and a violent tremor shook the school. All three of them shuffled to maintain balance and as soon as they had, the quake subsided.

"Umm guys? I hate to be that person but I think we have a serious case of bad to worse here." Laf blinked rapidly and used their free hand to comb a tuft of ginger hair from their face. "I got your text Perr, Camilla's alive right - where are they?" They looked bewildered for a moment then spread their arms, their tablet in hand with several new messages from JP scrolling along it's surface.

Danny dropped the pieces of paper she was holding to the floor and only looked back once to see Perry huff and finish cleaning it up.

"They're-in-there." Danny rambled out quickly, not entirely comfortable with using they in reference to Carmilla in Laura yet, although she suspected she would be doing so more often than she thought in the future. "What's wrong?"

"Brace yourselves people since the Dean..." Lafontaine stopped mid-sentence to stare at their tablet. They shook their head at each scrolling message with a soft 'mhmm'.

"Well, what is it saying?" Perry asked, the pieces of paper now balled up in her palm. She made two tight fists and rested them on her hips. "Well?!" She questioned her patience wearing thin.

Lafontaine's brow furrowed as they continued to read JP's messages. "JP is not an it. JP is JP. I'd really appreciate it if you'd use his name." They finished never once looking up at Perry. "We talked about this."

"We most certainly did not talk about it. I called it...I mean Jp...and it and you told me I'm starting to sound like I'd vote with the People's Party and stormed out of the room."

Lafontaine sighed heavily and rubbed the bridge of their nose with their free hand, their other hand gripped the tablet in place. "I don't have time to teach you everything Perry. You know it's not on me to educate you over every little thing."

"And here we go!" Perry said, her voice elevated. "It's also not my job to stay up on every little thing. They, it, otherkin? I don't know what is what anymore and you know I try Susan." Perry stepped forward, speaking earnestly. "I really do."

Lafontaine held Perry's stare for a moment and laughed lightly in disbelief. "Susan, huh?"

After an excruciatignly awkward silence, mostly filled with Perry's lips moving with no actual sound coming out of her mouth, Danny cleared her throat. Loudly. "So what's JP on about?"

"Yes, let's all take direction from the haunted tablet." Perry added sarcastically and quickly realized, by the look on LaFontaine's face, that her comment was ill-timed.

Lafontaine shook her head at Perry. "Whatever. I'm going to tell Laura and Carmilla, we got some serious crap to deal with. I'm talking monumental. Beyond monumental, gargantuan!"

"So that's how it's going to be?" Perry stepped closer to LaFontaine. Her fists moved from her hips to lay defensively across her chest. She motioned to Carmilla and Laura's room with her shoulders. "You go running off with JP, Carmilla and Laura? It's been a week and you're barely around. I don't see you anymore and when I do, you're gone so fast I can hardly get a word in. You're angry at me all the time over the slightest things and I feel like...like..."

"Like you don't even know me anymore?" Lafontaine questioned, their forehead creased as if they felt the same.

Perry and Lafontaine's eyes met briefly, they fell away at twice the speed.

"Perr...I..." Lafontaine's eyes softened. They took a few steps towards Perry and another violent tremble shook the foundation of the school. "We'll...we'll talk about it later, okay?"

"O - " Perry started but Laf was already ducked into Laura and Carmilla's room, the door shut tightly behind them. "-kay." Perry whispered her eyes downcast.

She had heard that for the past week. Next time Perry I promise. Of course Perry, I'll drop by. You're being silly Perry, we'll talk about it later.

Only later never came.

Danny and Perry stood in the hallway together, alone.

"Tea?"

Perry turned to Danny, sniffling. She managed a smile through quickly forming tears.

"I've got lemon balm."


	2. Chapter 2

Hope you guys enjoy!

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"It's right this way." Perry said as she expertly navigated the hallway. She was quite confident she could walk these halls in the pitch black, and she did once when the lights went out unexpectedly. When they came back on, everyone's beds were on the ceiling. Lafontaine was convinced it was a spirit or something supernatural; however, Perry just _knew_ it was some frat member playing a very elaborate and well planned practical joke.

She knew better now.

Or maybe, she always knew but only chose to see it _somewhat_ now.

Danny walked behind Perry and along the way she watched her stop and check on a few girls and dish out some warnings about dormitory violations. Perry had a very open door policy but Danny had honestly never used it. She had never actually entered the floors don's room. Perry was the only person in the dorm who had the privilege of having their own private quarters and it was often used as a safe haven for girls in need of a kind word. She heard a rumor once that Perry's room was so spotless because she went over every inch of it with white gloves. If she suspected a hint of dirt, she'd spend all day dusting, mopping and sweeping.

Danny herself wasn't a stranger to an empty pizza box or two but, she could appreciate a clean living environment. Her dad was ex-military after all, she was used to scrubbing tile with toothbrushes. A soldier never left a friend behind and they certainly never lived like a pig, at least that's what he always told her.

Perry pulled her keys from her high waist pants and carefully unlocked the door. She stepped to the side, allowing Danny to enter first. Perry certainly believed in being polite and mannerly but mostly she always let her visitors in so she could track how much grime they brought in on their shoes or bare feet. Once upon a time she asked that all visitors remove their shoes; however, since Lafontaine said it made her unapproachable she relaxed on that particular rule. She had even allowed one of the girls, on the first day she met her and without so much as even one squirt of hand sanitizer, cuddle one of her pillows as she dolled out advice.

The nerve of Lafontaine to think she wasn't growing.

Danny entered cautiously and stood uncomfortably in the center of the room. She dared not move, not until Perry gave her the okay. Mostly out of respect to Perry's space but, partially because she felt she had entered hallow ground the way the place sparkled. Perry's room smelled and looked familiar. It brought about the scent of home-cooked meals and candles with distinct and pungent aroma. Not the kind you'd find in the store but the elaborately scented ones that came from a specialty shops, there fragrance so potent you could smell it on your clothes when you left. The scent paled in comparison of the comfortable feel to it. It resonated the feeling of leaving the biting cold and coming inside to shed your freezing apparel to sit beside a well stoked fire. In reality, it was simply a well decorated and kept room with a few extra amenities. Compared to other rooms Danny had frequented; however, this was one of the best.

"Can I...sit?" Danny asked turning to Perry, her hands shoved into the pockets of her lime green jeans.

Perry treaded softly behind Danny and pulled the chair from her desk. "Please do. I'll get the tea started."

After Danny was seated and settled, she watched Perry step over to her small kitchen area and begin preparing the tea. She watched Perry's hand's flutter over a few packages, her pale blue eyes searching for choice ingredients. Perry had done a complete switch from the talk with Lafontaine in the hall to checking in on and helping the women they encountered on their way to her room. Now that they were in the confounds of her room, Danny could see the sadness return. Her rapidly blinking eyes halting the gathering of tears, the corners of her mouth slightly down turned with silent sorrow. How often had Perry hid her true emotions to cope, to just get by? How out of place that somber expression looked on such a pretty face.

And she was very pretty.

Danny was truly shocked as to why she hadn't noticed before. Danny, like her often opposed Zeta comrades, could spot a hottie from a mile away.

Perry was an expert at making tea. Unlike LaFontaine, who used over complicated methods to resolve issues, she rather preferred the simplistic preparation of things. A nice hot mug of water and a few choice herbs for steeping, maybe a bit of cream to spice things up. Perry simply believed in a homespun kind of lifestyle. She enjoyed the technology being born into this age had brought her but, there was nothing like getting things done by hand.

Finished with the tea, Perry handed a mug to Danny then quickly walked over to grab her own, nesting on the edge of her bed. She slipped her shoes off her feet and slowly sipped, instantly relaxing.

The pair sat in silence for a moment, sipping from their drinks each settling into their own thoughts. The peaceful silence was interrupted by Perry setting her mug on her bedside stand with a soft clink. Perry wet her lips and fidgeted with the ends of her sleeves. Without looking up she spoke to her rooms only occupant.

"I think Lafontaine is beginning to dislike me."

Perry had never spoken the words out loud but she felt a bit of resentment growing from her friend. At times they'd come around and it would be as it always had been with them. Gushing about their lives, dreams, a bit of gossip, taking in a movie or three or just being around one another. Lately, they just felt distant, disconnected and simply out of sync. Strangers spending time with one another out of obligation and not enjoyment.

"Don't be silly, Laf adores you." Danny said, knowing she had chosen the incorrect wording as soon as it had left her lips. It had been the phrase Lafontaine had been using towards Perry for quite some time, judging by the expression on Perry's face, she had grown to resent those three little words.

"I'm not being silly." Lola snapped, then reached for her tea and sipped looking for the serenity it had brought her earlier.

Lola's words and tone brought a hush over the room. Danny had never seen her genuinely angered. Danny knew now that even the floor don, despite her polite and usually optimistic attitude, had her buttons that could be pressed.

"Okay." Danny said softly sipping from her tea.

Perry was used to hearing that word followed with a but. Perry you may not be overreacting, but. Perr you've got a point, but. She'd never heard those words from someone without a rebuttal following soon after.

It was refreshing.

Perry was so used to it, even after she knew no other words were to follow she paused out of habit.

"Okay." Danny repeated understandingly.

Danny took another sip from her mug and stretched her lean body to place her cup on the night stand as well. She folded her arms across her chest and let out a deep sigh, her head lulling back against her seat. Still looking upwards, she spoke. "I think...I think Laura tolerates me."

Perry was truly expecting Danny to reveal some heart shattering idea of why she felt Laura chose to be with Carmilla. When the taller ginger never followed up with anything more, Perry spoke. "Tolerate? That hardly seems like..."

"She tolerates me Lola do you have any idea..." Danny trailed off for a moment, finally bringing her eyes back to Perry's level. "It means she puts up with me. She puts up with me because I'm her T.A. She deals with me because I'm in a position of power. It is out of obligation that she wants me around, not out of choice."

Perry cleared her throat and took another drink from her mug, feeling a sudden chill. She related more to Danny's comments than she wanted to. When she looked back on she and Lafontaine's relationship, she saw glimpses of tolerance as well. Lafontaine tolerating her ignorant friend. Tolerating this fool who just couldn't get it right. Who just didn't understand. And maybe never would.

"They don't understand..." Perry said shaking her head slightly to affirm her statement.

"The world is tough. I haven't quite experienced all of it but I have enough experience to try to assist people in making better decisions..." Danny added, picking up where Perry left off.

"...right! Everyone isn't going to be all understanding and all you really want for them is the best..."

"...exactly! You're not trying to be overbearing you just want to make sure..."

"...that their actions are based in fact and reason and not emotion..."

"...all you really want is for their life to make sense because you know yours didn't when you were in their position..."

"...and times change but all you really want for them is to just live as easily and as normally as possible..."

"...all you're really trying to do is protect them." Danny and Perry said in unison.

Silence took the room again.

"Maybe..." Perry eyed her mug, seemingly uninterested by it's contents. "Maybe we need something a bit harder than tea?"

Danny quirked a brow and watched as the floor don, gathered up their drinks and disposed of what remained. Mugs skillfully held in one hand by their handles, Lola opened up her closet door, and pulled out a bottle of Rowan Berry Schnapps. Perry plopped back down on her bed, placed the bottle and mugs onto her night stand and poured a healthy amount into either glass. After setting the bottle back down just so, she held one of the cups back in Danny's direction.

Danny smirked. Another interesting tidbit she didn't know about the floor don, she wasn't a stickler for all the rules. Per se.

Danny reached forward slightly and retrieved the glass wasting no time in taking a hardy swig. The kick from the alcohol caught up to her immediately, its sudden descent down her throat just a bit ragged in comparison to the drinks she had before. The floor don emptied her glass without so much as a sputter. Lola Perry, could hold her liquor.

Perry was on to her next drink before Danny could even get her first one down. She was no stranger to a good bottle of Schnapps. She and Lafontaine would, on many occasions, share a few shots to unwind from a hard day at Silas University. They'd be alcoholics by the time they got their degrees.

"Now tell me something Lola..." Danny held out her cup her eyes still on Perry, the only indicator that her glass was being filled the sudden start and stop of liquid rushing from the bottle. "...alcohol in the dorms, that can't be in the student handbook?"

Perry giggled softly in amusement. "I won't tell if you won't."

"Your secret's safe with me as long as the booze keeps coming."

"Deal." Perry took down another drink and started on her next.

Learning her lesson from the glass before, Danny took a slow measured sip this time around letting the liquid travel down her throat and warm her stomach. She felt the tension leaving her shoulders, felt her body surrendering itself to the alcohol. After a moment she leaned forward a bit in her seat, both her hands wrapped around her mug.

"I feel myself going back and wondering about my actions. Like, what if I had stayed in the room when we captured Carmilla? What if I had given her the extra time when she asked for it? What if I would have made the first real move?"

Danny sighed again lifting the mug to her lips. "I'm not this girl. I'm never this girl. If I want something, I normally have no problem saying that I want it. It was different with Laura. She made me nervous. I really liked her Lola. I really started falling for her. I only wanted to protect her. Only...she didn't need any protection and I couldn't see that." Danny finished by removing one hand from her cup and rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"I'm in the Summer Society you know, that's just what we do. We stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves. Hell, this is something I've been doing my entire life. Kid getting bullied? I'd put an end to it. Someone getting harassed? There I was. My father raised me to be the hero, the stand-up up person you know? So I'm constantly on this crusade to be that. Only I'm questioning now if I'm fit for the role at all."

Perry finished off her cup and placed it down a little less gracefully then before. She sat back in her bed, her back now resting on her headboard, then she shifted over and patted the now vacant side.

Danny hesitated momentarily, emptied her cup, placed it down, then kicked off her shoes and slid into the bed. Mimicking Perry's position, she rested her back on the headboard only her height caused her head to land on the wall it was pushed up against. The taller woman grabbed the bottle and handed it to Perry who drank straight from it, and passed it back to her.

"Danny."

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what being a Gray ACE is?"

"A whatta?"

"A Gray ACE Danny." Perry exhaled softly. "Do you know what that is?"

Danny drank from the bottle. "Can't say I'm _extremely_ familiar with it."

"I do." Perry said her hand extending for the bottle.

Danny passed it to Perry who swigged freely.

"Skoliosexuality, demisexuality...omnisexuality?"

"Vaguely." Danny replied, shrugging lightly after.

"I can give you the definitions of over twenty identities and sexualitys with examples. And that doesn't even cover half of the new things I discovered on Tumblr."

Danny chuckled. "Wait...whoa,you made a Tumblr account?"

"Yes." Perry said pridefully, pointing to her chest with the bottle in her hand. "I Lola Perry have a Tumblr account. I got it to better understand my friend. I found a master-list and am currently studying it dutifully."

Perry sat up slightly her head turned to face Danny. "I mess up. I missed a few pronouns, I called them by their old name. I've been calling them that name for years. It is a hard habit to break but I am trying." Emotion began invading her voice. "I just need them to understand that. I just corresponded and wrote a well meaning message of love and support to a person who identifies as a baby carrot! That my friend is progressive!"

Danny snickered, then quickly covered her mouth.

"It isn't funny Danny." Perry smacked her companions arm lightly, stifling laughter of her own.

"Yep, totally not funny." Danny barely chocked out, another stream of laughter prevented from escaping by puffing up her cheeks.

"I even know the triggers they listed - knives, salad bowls and..." Perry, fueled by alcohol could no longer hold back. "...and ranch dressing." She finished practically cackling.

Danny joined in and the two laughed raucously, both wiping tears from their face when they began to settle from their amusement.

Danny motioned for the bottle and sipped. "We're assholes."

Perry sighed and slumped back on the headboard. "Overbearing, overprotecting..." As she neared the end of her sentence she scooted closer to Danny and rested her head on her shoulder. "...clueless, behind the times..."

"...assholes." Danny said lifting the arm Perry rested on momentarily then secured it around the floor dons shoulder.

"This is nice." Lola said her breathing evening out as she nestled into the crook of Danny's arm, the alcohol in her system lowering her lids.

"Yeah." Danny raised the bottle to her lips once more then offered it up to Perry who declined with an opened palm. Danny set the bottle back into it's place on the table beside the bed and relaxed into the floor don as well.

"For what it's worth, I think what you're doing is admirable. Not many people try Lola. Most people shun what they don't understand and never work to get any level of understanding. They'll come around." Danny finished giving Perry a comforting squeeze. "I know I can talk to my sisters in the society about this but they expect so much from me sometimes. I feel like they just wouldn't understand. Thank you for just...just listening. And, for the booze. It really helps."

"You're welcome Danny." Perry said a sleepy half smile on her face. "I think you do a fine job around here. You and the Summer Society. I can't really weigh in on what went wrong with you and Laura. I know that decisions were made that didn't lead to the most ideal situations but it shouldn't make you question who you are entirely. You were hurt, you reacted brashly. It doesn't make you a bad person. You simply have to learn from it and make better decisions moving forward."

It was cathartic for them both to hear from another person that they weren't complete jerks. Both felt a crushing responsibility to be pefect. Both were expected to act and react in complete and total understanding in every single situation. It felt good to be reminded that they were both human and erring simply a part of their nature.

Danny dug into her pocket and drug out her phone, blinking the blurriness of alcohol from her vision to check the time. She sighed.

"It's getting late, I'd better go."

"Oh." Lola said her voice small, loneliness creeping in when she felt the arm around her shoulder slip away. "Right."

Danny slung her legs over the edge of the bed and began shuffling to the door. Once she reached it, she placed her hand on the handle and turned back to Perry. "Thanks again."

Perry nodded graciously as Danny prepared to exit.

"Wait!"

Danny turned to see Perry on the bed, nervously nibbling at the nail on her left thumb.

"I mean, it is pretty late. You could...you could stay if you wanted to. I mean only if you wanted to. I'm certain you have things to do but..."

Perry's answer was the soft click of the lock on her door. Danny turned, her eyes locked on Perry's. "I can stay."

Danny walked over to he bed and this time instead of resting her back on the head board, she gently lowered herself and shifted to lay on her side. Perry did the same her back facing Danny. They laid like this for a few moments until both slowly closed the distance for a proper spooning, Danny playing the role of the bigger one.

When Perry felt Danny's arm slip around her, she sighed in contentment. Lafontaine used to hold her like this some nights. In what context, Perry never knew but she had enjoyed it. She didn't know Danny, she had certainly gotten some insight into her this evening, but she didn't want the contact from earlier to end. It had been rough for her lately and she needed to be held, tightly and securely like Danny was holding her now. She pressed into Danny further, her eyes fluttering briefly before closing tightly.

Danny snuggled closely into Lola, so close the shock of red curls on the woman's head grazed her chin. She couldn't help but take in the full scent of Perry. She smelled sweet, a light mixture of brownsugar and butterscotch. She felt good in her arms as well, pure warmth, fleshy and delicate. Danny, much like Perry, wasn't ready to drift back into solitude. She didn't want to toss and turn all night thinking of things she could not control. She wanted peace and it seemed to be found so easily in just having someone near. Someone who just understood.

Quickly they drifted of to sleep, the mixture of liquor and comfort gently guiding them into slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

If you're still reading this I'm drunk and officially on vacation, let the booze and updates begin!

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Perry's eyes flickered open to jagged golden beams seeping through her blinds.

The first thing she noticed, there were dust particles floating around in the light of the morning - she'd certainly have to take care of that.

The second, there was a leg hoisted around her midsection.

Third, a ginger haired woman was resting on her chest.

Fourth, the hair wasn't shortly cropped.

It was Danny.

Perry's eye's widened then flicked to either side of the room. She quickly, and deftly, peeked under the covers.

Fully clothed.

Perry sighed heavily.

People had this idea that she was the epitome of chaste and virtue and Perry simply allowed them to keep that image of her. The truth was, that she had her number of rendezvous. The key to those encounters were, and remain, discretion. She only took her relationships to that level with people she could infallibly trust.

Perry glanced down at Danny's face. She looked incredibly peaceful. Lola knew the kind of emotional duress Danny was under lately and a few more moments departed from reality would surely do more good than harm. Out of habit, she reached down and lightly brushed red hair from an angular face softened by repose. When she did this, Danny stirred slightly, the loose leg laying across Perry's waist tightening its grip. Danny murmured, then slipped the heel of her foot under Perry, locking her into place.

Perry nibbled at her bottom lip. Maybe it _was_ time she woke her.

Perry began slowly shimmying from underneath her. As soon as she had gotten a good ways from under Danny, Danny gripped her back into place, murmured something once more, nestled under Perry's chin then perched her lips lightly on her neck.

For a moment, the briefest of moments she'd later tell herself, she enjoyed the feeling of having someone this close. Danny's soft lips barely grazing the spot just below her jaw line, the rise and fall of her chest rhythmic. If she was being honest with herself, she'd have stayed there. She'd have shirked the day and simply laid exactly as they were. She'd even, accidentally, press further into Danny and drift back into sleep.

Since she was a big fat liar, she swallowed thickly and whispered, "Danny."

"Huh?" Danny blurted, half awake and unaware of where she was and the compromising position she had awoken in. She remembered the hallway, the alcohol and finally that she had drunkenly spent the night with Perry.

_In_ Perry's bed, not _with_ Perry.

"Shit." Danny said, the rasp from the early morning invading her voice. She blinked rapidly and looked up to see Perry staring awkwardly up at the ceiling. She wondered for a moment why Perry was acting oddly, then it quickly became clear. She was wrapped around Perry like a second skin. Danny quickly released her grasp on Lola, then shifted into a seated position in bed, the covers that were up to her neck rolling down her body. "I'm really sorry about that." She didn't look Perry's way when she spoke.

"It's...it's really not a problem." Perry sat up as well, avoiding Danny's eyes. She wanted to add that she didn't mind but decided against it.

Danny massaged her temples with her right hand and blindly searched for her phone with her left. She checked the time, it was early. Still enough time for her to creep out of the room and make it to the Summer Society sorority house then slip into bed avoiding numerous questions she simply didn't feel like answering. Out of the corner of her eye Perry sat, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Think Danny.

She had done this before. The awkward wake up. She had no idea why it was this awkward, really? They spooned? Big deal?

She woke up in the loving embrace of one of her friend's best friend and her former love interests floor don.

No. Big. Deal.

She'd handle this like she handled other awkward situations she'd landed herself in. She'd be smooth.

Danny smirked and pushed her hair out of her face, her eye's flicking to Perry. She'd charm her way out of this bed and right out the door. She was Danny Lawrence, Vice President of the Summer Society and resident lady kill-

"You should probably get going, right? We don't want anyone seeing you sneak out of my room. While this was purely innocent, we all know how rumors can get carried away. Like the rumor of that poltergeist on the second floor. A few doors slam shut on their own and a black vortex...or two...can get blown right out of proportion."

Danny could feel her ego deflate.

Danny Lawrence, Vice President of the Summer Society and resident lady killer was being unceremoniously dumped out of bed.

"Would it really be so bad?" Danny said, her tone lifted in slight disbelief. "I mean..."

"Yes."

"I'm not that..."

"Bad? No. I just don't want a mountain made out of molehill." Lola fiddled with the fabric of her blanket.

More silence.

Perry never had the opportunity for silence when waking up with LaFontaine. She was a slow riser but once she got up, she was most defintely up. Her mind and mouth going a mile a minute, all while Perry quietly prepared tea or cocoa before they shuffled off for breakfast.

Despite the blow to her ego, Danny had to agree.

"I gotcha. I mean what if something got back to Lafontaine or Laura..." Danny trailed off into her name. Laura probably wouldn't care. She was probably in that room right now enveloped with Carmilla. She could almost see her tucked in comfortably, her blanket up to her chin, a soft grin on her face as she was awoken to light kisses or a gentle mindless stroke of some exposed body part. She felt a pulling in her stomach again. It was reality reminding her that she had to carry on and think thoughts like this until all this shit blew over.

Perry watched Danny's mind shift gears. She watched as the fresh wounds re-opened. She couldn't exactly relate but, she knew how it felt to be alone with thoughts like that. Thoughts of wanting something and waking to find it might never be yours.

Perry slowly slid her hand across the bed, eyes never reaching Danny's, slipped her hand into her's and squeezed.

Danny squeezed back.

"I needed that." Danny whispered.

Both their heads snapped to the door when they heard rustling throughout the dorm. Music began playing and showers began running, all signs of a new day beginning in the Silas University's women's dormitory.

Perry and Danny sat for a moment hand in hand before Danny stood, releasing Perry's. Perry stood as well and walked Danny to the door. Before Danny could exit, Perry wrapped her up in a tight hug, her head resting on Danny's shoulder. "You'll be fine." She said comfortingly.

Danny rocked for a moment in Perry's embrace. She felt sturdy in her arms, safe even. More importantly, she didn't feel quite so alone within them.

More noise from the waking women in the dorm, caused Perry to remove her arm's from Danny. Lola gently touched Danny's shoulder then shot her a reassuring smile. Danny smiled back then slowly leaned over and kissed the side of Perry's right cheek, her lips parting from Lola's flesh with a soft smack. When she pulled away she saw a blush begin to cover Perry's face, her blue sweet pea eyes widened.

"Thanks for being there for me. I mean it."

Perry emitted a few sounds that in her head sounded like words, then finally something coherent escaped her mouth. "Don't mention it."

Danny laughed lightly, the smirk she wore never leaving her face as she folded her arms across her chest and leaned slightly in Perry's direction. "Literally or figuratively?"

Perry nudged her playfully. "You know what I mean." Then she was serious once more. "Take care of yourself Danny. And if you're ever in need, my door is always open."

"Same to you Lola, same to you."

Then with a twist of a door knob, Danny was out the door. She put her weight on the handle so that when she shut it, it made as little noise as possible. Danny crept through the halls and was relieved to find that no one was in them. She decided to take the back stairwell, she didn't dare take the route that had her pass Laura's room.

Not right now, she needed time.

She had taken this route before, stealth mode activated, to avoid the glare of the floor don. What she found funny was now, she didn't see Perry like that anymore. She didn't envision her with hand on hip and finger wagging.

She was soft, she was inviting and she smelled like freshly baked goods.

Once outside, Danny stopped and inhaled the fresh morning air.

She'd be okay. She'd get past this. She just had to keep telling herself that.

Then she exhaled.


End file.
